It Will Be
by JuliaBeth
Summary: Jake's sixteen year-old daughter returns from school in Denver and finds things are exactly like they were when she left. Please R&R. Take place during the first season. Updated Again!
1. Chapters One and Two

Author's note: The characters from Dr. Quinn belong to Beth Sullivan. I only own the ones you don't recognize. In this story, Ingrid and her family don't exist. Also, Dorothy is in this story way earlier than she should be, but I like her and wanted to use her. It also gives Jake a bit different past than the show implied. It starts somewhere between the first and second seasons, before Dr. Mike and Sully were engaged. Some of the things are chronologically correct with the show, but I hope you like it anyway.

Prologue

It was a cool spring day in Colorado Springs. Loren Bray was sweeping the front porch of his store. Dr. Michaela Quinn was readying her clinic for the days work. Her eldest son, Matthew Cooper was repairing some lose boards on the porch. Children were rushing past on their way to school and Grace's café was already full of people wanting their breakfasts. All the regular hustle and bustle of the town was going on, except:

Chapter One

Where's Jake?

"Matthew?" Dr. Mike said, stepping out on the porch. "Have you noticed that Jake hasn't opened his shop yet?"

Matthew looked across the street to see that the barbershop was indeed still closed. Odd for this time of day. Jake usually opened up around eight o'clock on weekdays.

He shrugged, "Maybe he's still over at Grace's havin' breakfast, Ma."

"Yes, I suppose so," she replied, stepping back into the clinic.

A few hours later, when the shop was still not open, not only had she begun to worry, but Hank and Loren had too.

"Suppose he's sick?" Loren asked. He and Hank were sitting at Grace's for lunch, discussing the fact that they hadn't seen their friend all weekend before either.

"Nah," Hank answered. "You sold him a couple of bottles of whiskey last week, didn't you?"

"Well, yeah," Loren nodded.

"Then, he's probably just sleepin' off a drunk.

No one in town remembered the real reason for his absences.

Chapter 2

An Almost Forgotten Memory

Jake was sitting in a stagecoach looking at the young woman sitting across from him. She was sitting quietly, with her hands folded in her lap. Since she seemed content, he let his mind drift back to a time few other's in Colorado Springs rarely thought about.

A time when his life was very different from the way it was now. Back, when Abigail Sully was still alive, and Ethan and Charlotte Cooper were new in town. Back to the day the young lady's mother had walked out on them, leaving him to raise their baby girl alone.

That day he closed up his shop and went into the living quarters behind it. His wife, Rebecca, met him at the door with a suitcase in her hand.

"I'm sorry, Jake, truly I am, but I just can't spend the rest of my life being a housewife in this God-forsaken mining town," was her only explaination. She handed him their daughter and was gone. Eighteen-year-old Jake was too stunned to even go after her.

She never came back.

After that, he turned all his attentions on to his daughter. He loved her more than anything, and with the help of Abigail, he raised her as well as anyone could have. He loved her, doated on her, and generally spoiled her rotten. She was the town's darling, capturing the heart of Jake's customers, Hank, Olive Davis, Maude Bray, Abigail, even shy, almost reclusive Byron Sully. She was a happy, outgoing child.

Then came the day she didn't want to get up for school.

"I hurt, Papa," she whimpered.

He pulled back the bedclothes to see the tale-tell signs of Scarlet fever. The nightmarish days and weeks that followed was nothing compared to the nightmare they faced when the fever broke and she woke up. The fever had damaged her small body in a way that would never heal.

His little girl retreated into a world of her own. So well behaved before, she often screamed and cried and threw fits out of the frustration that she could no longer do for herself.

He vividly remembered the night Abigail made his see he could no longer care for her on his own. They were at the Sully's homestead, the same one Dr. Mike now occupied.

His little gilr was in the yard, playing with Sully and his new puppy, while Jake and Abigail sat on the steps, watching them.

Jake, listen to me," Abigail said. "You can't take care of her alone anymore. Look at her, she needs more care you can give. She has to learn to do everything for herself again."

"I can teach her," he replied, stubbornly. "I taught her once, didn't I? We're fine."

"You _are_ _not _fine. You're losing her. Your baby is blind, Jake, and the doctors say that is never going to change."

"I know that!" He snapped. "I know what's wrong with her. I don't ya' to tell me she's blind."

"There is a school for blind kids in Denver," she pressed on. She knew he was angry at the situation, not at her. "They can give her the care she needs and a real education. They'll teach her to read and write and all sorts of other things. Aunt Olive and I have checked it out. It's really good."

"I ain't sending her to a school full of strangers. What she needs is her Papa."

"It's what's best for her and you know it," Abby said. "It's just in Denver. You can visit anytime you want. Let her go."

He hung his head because he knew she was right.

In the end, he did let her go, and after just six months she was better. Everytime he went to see her, ahe would be more independent and more her old self.

That had been ten years before. Now, she was through with school and on her way home again. Only this time, he wouldn't have any help with her. Abby was gone and last time he had said two wors to Sully and vice-versa was at the funeral.

"Papa?" Her voice brought him back to the present.

"Yes, dear?"

"Do you think anyone will remember me? It's been an awfully long time since I lived in Colorado Springs."

"Of course," he answered. "Don't you remember the people back home?"

She nodded. "Maybe. Sort of. What's it like now?"

He told her about home as they neared it.

"A lady doctor?"

"Yep. Do you remember Matthew Cooper?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Dr. Mike's been taking care of him and Colleen and Brian since Charlotte died."

"Mrs. Charlotte died?" Her face lost some of it's happy expression.

"A few moths ago, of a rattlesnake bite."

"Who else do you remember?"

She thought for a minute. "I remember Mrs. Abby but she died."

"Yeah, Abby is dead," he replied softly. "Do you remember Sully?"

"Yes, sir, he had a puppy one time. It felt like a big ball of fur and it was all squirmy," she smiled.

"That's right," Jake agreed. "He did have a puppy. See there, you do remember. You're going to be just fine here. I promise.

She just nodded.

"We're almost home," he told her.

"Home." She repeated the word to herself. For the past ten years, her home had been the McLauren Academy for the Blind in Denver. Suddenly, she was nervous.

"Papa?"

"What?"

"If I can't get along out here, can I go back to the school? Mrs. McLauren said she would give me a teaching position next fall, if I want it?" She was twisting her handkerchief in her hands.

Jake reached up and put his hand over hers.

"Sweetheart, if you're not happy here with me, then you can go back to Denver in the fall. You have my word," he promised. "Will ya' promise me something?"

"What?"

"That you will try to get along here," he said. "I mean really try. I love you. You're my child and I want you to feel that you have a place, a home, here with me. So, will ya' try?"

She smiled and threw her arms around his neck. "I will, Papa. I love you, too."

"Here we are," he said as the wagon came to a stop. "Colorado Springs."


	2. Chapter Three

Author's note: The characters from Dr. Quinn belong to Beth Sullivan. I only own the ones you don't recognize. In this story, Ingrid and her family don't exist. Also, Dorothy is in this story way earlier than she should be, but I like her and wanted to use her. It also gives Jake a bit different past than the show implied. It starts somewhere between the first and second seasons, before Dr. Mike and Sully were engaged. Some of the things are chronologically correct with the show, but I hope you like it anyway.

Chapter Three

Who Is She?

Dr. Mike and Matthew met Sully outside the clinic just as the stagecoach came in.

"Well, I guess that answers everyone's questions about Jake," Dr. Mike laughed. "He wasn't here to open his shop."

They watched as Jake climbed down, the reached up and lifted a young lady over the steps and on to the ground.

"Who is that?" Dr. Mike wondered aloud.

Sully turned around to see who she was talking about When he saw the young lady he started to grin. "It can't be."

"What?" Both Mike and Matthew asked, but Sully was already gone. He reached the girl and swung her off the ground in a hug.

Her first instinct ws to fight or scream, but when he pulled her close, she smelt wood smoke and leather and remembered.

"Mr. Sully!" She hugged him back. "Put me down," she demanded after a few minutes. "I'm not a little girl anymore."

"Yer not?" he teased.

"I'm quite grown up," she grinned.

Dr. Mike hung back, watching the whole scene a little confused. She became even more curious when Hank made his way over to them. Sully never had much to do with either man, but this young lady had them all drawn to her.

"Hey, there, Gorgeous," Hank said. He put his hand on her shoulder. "Do ya' remember me?"

She turned towards him and put her hand on his cheek. She knew he was familiar, but she just couldn't quite place him. Then her hands found his hair.

"Hank!"

"Yeah, that's right, Hank," he grinned. He did an uncharacteristic thing and hugged her.

"Who is she?" Dr. Mike asked Myra, who had joined her.

"Larkin Slicker," she replied.

"Excuse me?" Dr. Mike said. "Did you say…"

"Larkin Slicker, yeah, she's Jake's daughter," Myra interrupted.

"But I thought…"

"Jake used to be married," Myra explained. "When Lark was 'bout a year old, his wife, Rebecca, decided she didn't want to be a wife no more and just…left. Just walked out one day and never came back. Jake raised Lark here until she was six."

"What happened then?"

"She got the fever. Almost died. Ever'body in town thought she would and Jake right along with her. He loves that child more'n I've ever seen any man love a child. He didn't leave her bedside 'til she was better. Awful thing was, when she did get better, the fever left 'er blind. That's where she's been. At a school for the blind in Denver. He tried so hard to take care of her, but he just couldn't. Sully's Abigail, she was his closest friend at the time and she's the one who finally convinced him to let her go. Abigail helped him raise that child. She was forever over there telling him do this or don't do that."

"That explains Sully knowing her," Mike said.

"Everybody knew her," Myra laughed. "And ever'body loved her."

"Larkin Slicker," Matthew said, finally recognizing her. Not having been listening, he didn't know Myra had already told Mike, he said, "That's who she is, Dr. Mike. She's been gone s'long I almost forgot she was ever here."

When Sully and Hank moved, Dr. Mike saw for the first time that Larkin's piercing blue eyes were unseeing, that she held onto Jake's arm as though she would be lost without him, and that she turned her head when she someone spoke and not her eyes.

"Dr. Mike, this is my daughter, Larkin," Jake said, proudly. "Lark, this is the lady doctor I was telling you about."

"Hello, Larkin," Dr. Mike said, warmly.

"Hey, Larkin," Matthew spoke up, finally finding his voice.

Now this was a voice Larkin didn't know.

Matthew realized she didn't recognize his deep voice. The last time they had seen each other, she had been six, and him seven.

"Hey, Lark," he said again. "Betcha' I can beat ya' to your pa's shop."

They had made the same bet everyday after school then.

Lark smiled, "Matthew?"

"Yep." He tugged on a strand of her black hair.

She swatted his hand away, and smoothed the curl back behind her ear. "Matthew, do you really want to pick up where we left off?"

"Got t'start somewhere," he replied with a shrug.

"Fine," she declared. "I'm going to tell your ma."

Everyone laughed.


	3. Chapters Four through Eight

Author's note: The characters from Dr. Quinn belong to Beth Sullivan. I only own the ones you don't recognize. In this story, Ingrid and her family don't exist. Also, Dorothy is in this story way earlier than she should be, but I like her and wanted to use her. It also gives Jake a bit different past than the show implied. It starts somewhere between the first and second seasons, before Dr. Mike and Sully were engaged. Some of the things are chronologically correct with the show, but I hope you like it anyway.

Chapter Four

An Unfamiliar Home

Later that night, Lark was sitting in front of the fireplace in her new/old home. Everyone had been so nice to her today and a lot more people remembered her than she had thought would.

Still, she was beginning to miss being at the Academy. She was feeling lonesome. She could hear Jake in the kitchen fixing them something to eat, so she knew she wasn't really alone, but by now the Academy would be bursting with people. They would be laughing and talking. She and her best friend, Molly Black, would be sitting by the fireplace sharing stories of their day, being teased by her other best friend and Molly's roguish boyfriend, Michael Perkins.

"Poor Molly," she thought. "She'll be lost without me."

Truth was, Larkin felt lost without her. She sighed. She wanted to go sit with her Papa, but she couldn't find her cane and she didn't remember what was between her and the table. She knew that if she called him, Jake would come and help her, but she didn't want to bother him.

"This is crazy," she thought. "This is my house. I lived here before and I live her now. Surely, I can walk to the kitchen by myself. If not, then I just need to forget this and head back to the Academy tomorrow!"

Again, she felt around for her cane and didn't find it. She decided to try anyway.

"I can do this," she told herself. "I go all over the Academy alone, and it's huge. These few feet should be easy."

She made it half way across the room with no more problems. Then, she stumbled over the rug and fell.

Jake turned just in time to see her trip. He sighed. This was harder than he remembered.

"Are ya' okay?" he asked, rushing to her side.

"Yes." She let him help her up.

"What were ya' doing?"

"I was going to sit at the table with you," she explained.

"Why didn't ya' ask for help?" he demanded, gruffly.

"Because, I wanted to do it myself. You were busy, I didn't want to bother you," she said, trying hard not to let her lower lip quiver. She hadn't been home a whole day yet and already her Papa was fussing at her. Maybe what Richard had told her was right. Maybe she was just going to be a nuisance to her Papa.

"Listen t'me, Larkin," he said. "Ya' ain't a bother. Ya' ain't. Ya' understand me?"

She nodded.

"Come on, let's eat." He lead her to the table.

Chapter Five

A Walk with Matthew

The next morning, Larkin was sitting on the porch, listening to the sounds going on around her. She still missed her friends, but she was beginning to like living with her father. So far, at least. It had only been twenty-four hours, so she was sure she hadn't faced the worst part yet.

"Hey, Larkin," Matthew said, stepping up on the porch. He had his hat in his hand, toying with it, nervously.

"Hello, Matthew," she smiled. "Would you like to have a seat?" She rearranged her skirt so he could sit beside her.

"Oh, no thanks. I ain't got time. Brian left his books in the clinic. I was fixin' t'take them over to him."

"Oh, well, some other time then." Her smile faded a bit.

"Would ya'…, I thought, maybe ya'd like to walk with me," he said, shyly.

"Yes, thank you," she smiled. "I would."

She got Jake's permission, grabbed her cane and headed off with Matthew.

"Do ya like being home?" he asked.

"So far," she answered. "It's weird though."

"What do ya' mean?"

"I mean, everything is familiar, yet, unfamiliar at the same time. Everything has changed so much. I hardly know anyone or anything, anymore. I'm sure everything will be better when I learn my way around again."

"I'd be glad to help ya'," he offered, a bit flirtatiously.

"Dangerous offer," she laughed. "Papa swears it's not true, but I know I've driven him half crazy this morning, calling for help."

"Are ya' home for good? Or is this just a break or something?"

"Well, I finished my class," she answered. "But, Mrs. McLauren, the director asked me back as a teacher next fall."

"Are ya' going to do that?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Oh." Matthew let it go at that. He was surprised o find that he didn't want to think about her leaving again, but he just dismissed it as being glad to see his old friend. He caught her arm when she stumbled and steadied her.

"Thanks," she blushed. "I seem to be doing that a lot lately."

They were both quiet the rest of the way to the school.

Chapter Six

Ms. Olive

Olive Davis had long since established herself as the town's eccentric.

Loren's widowed sister, she had turned her hand at almost every job that needed doing in a frontier town, from 'woman's work' keeping house and raising children, to raising cattle and driving them to market. She had also served as teacher for a while when Matthew and Larkin had started to school.

Today, she was playing that part again, filling in for the Reverend, who was sick.

Being especially attached to the girl, she had made it a point to visit Larkin anytime she had been in Denver. She opened the door when Matthew knocked, but breezed past him when she saw Larkin standing behind him.

"Hello, Darling," Olive exclaimed, hugging a startled Larkin.

She was startled, but this was a voice she definitely knew.

"Mrs. Olive!" She returned the woman's warm embrace.

"When did you get into town?"

"Yesterday."

"Well, I know yer' Papa must be as pleased as punch t'have ye' back in Colorado Springs." she release Larkin and turned to Matthew. "So, did you two come all this way just to give you're old teacher a hard time, or did ya' need something?"

"Um, no ma'am," Matthew answered. "Brian left these. I's just bringing them to him." He held out the books.

"Yes, of course," she said, taking them from him. She put her other hand on Larkin's cheek. "I've got to get back to these hooligans in here, but you tell that Pa of yer's that I expect him to bring you out to see me real soon. I want to have a nce long visit with you."

"Yes, ma'am," she replied.

Matthew took her hand and walked her back to Jake's.

Chapter Seven

At the Homestead

"Matthew's got a girlfriend, Matthew's got a girlfriend," Brian siad ina sing-sing voice. He and Matthew were clearing the table for supper.

Colleen and Dr. Mike were cooking and Sully was building a fire in fireplace for them.

"I do not!" Matthew said, embarrassed.

"Ya' do, too." Brian insisted. "I saw 'er. She came to school with ya'."

"Larkin is not my girlfriend." Matthew said. "Hush."

"Matthew and Larkin sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," Brian started again.

"Dr. Mike!" Matthew said. "Make him hush!"

"Matthew and Larkin, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," this time, Colleen joined in.

"Make them stop!" Matthew said, impatiently. "Or I will."

"Oh, now I'm scared," Colleen rolled her eyes.

"Colleen, Brian, stop teasing your brother," Dr. Mike scolded.

"But she is his girlfriend," Brian continued to insist. "I saw him holding her hand."

"She's blind," He defended himself. "You have to hold her hand so she won't trip."

"I don't know about that," Sully grinned. "I saw her getting around just fine by herself."

"Matthew's got a girlfriend," Brian sang again.

"Larkin is NOT my girlfriend!" Matthew declared, stomping out the door.

Mike gave everyone an exasperated look, then wnet after him.

He was sitting on the steps throwing rocks at the barn.

"She is awfully sweet, isn't she?" Mike said, sitting down beside him.

"Yeah," Matthew grinned. "But, she's just a friend. She looked bored, so I asked her if she wanted to walk with me, that's all."

"That was very sweet of you," she replied. "You know it's okay for you to want to spend time with you friend."

"I know," he shrugged. "Brian was just getting on my nerves."

"Little brothers do that. It's part of a younger sibling's job description," she laughed.

He started to reply, then laughed too.

"Came back in, Matthew, dinner is ready." She got up and left him alone.

After a few minutes, he came back in, ruffled Brian's hair and gave Colleen a small hug as a sign of peace.

Chapter Seven

Mike and Sully Talk

After supper, Matthew was helping Brian with his homework and Colleen was settled at the table with hers, so Mike slipped outside to talk to Sully before he left.

"I would have never guessed Jake had a daughter," Mike said, sitting down beside Sully. "He has never said a word about her."

"Did ya' ever ask him?"

"Well, no," she admitted. "But he didn't exactly strike me as a father figure."

"Why is that?"

"A single man, living alone, spends most of his free time in the saloon with Hank and Loren. Not exactly the actions of a father."

"Maybe not," Sully replied. "But Larkin wasn't here then. I'm willing to bet that Jake isn't at the saloon tonight."

"He was acting differently today and yesterday, that's for sure."

"He is different when Larkin is around. Look, Jake ain't one of my favorite people, by no means. Fact is, I could do without him real easy, but he does do right by that little girl. He always has."

"Myra said his wife just left one day. That must have been hard on him."

"They were better off without her," Sully admitted. "Rebecca Slicker never wanted a baby and she wasn't much of a mother when she was around. She acted like Larkin was a nuisances to her and she didn't like for Jake to pay a whole lot of attention to her, either. Some of the women in town said she had the baby blues, whatever that is. Abigail siad she was just mean. Abigail never liked her much, to begin with. Then, one day, I guess she just couldn't stay here any more, so she just left. Lark was about a year-old. Jake handled it pretty well, considering."

"That young lady certainly has her father wrapped around her little finger," Mike laughed. "I saw them over at Loren's today, and anything she asked for, she got."

"Yep," Sully agreed with a smile. Then he turned serious. "Jake has his problems. HE's been known to drink too much and he can be mean and can be stupid, but can't anybody in this world say he ain't a good Pa to his daughter, that he don't do his best by her."


	4. Chapters Nine through Fourteen

Chapter Nine

Dinner with an Interesting Proposition

Saturday.

Larkin had been ecstatic when Mrs. Olive had dropped by the barbershop and invited her and Jake to supper at her house. She had been looking forward to visiting with Mrs. Olive, but when they arrived, she found that they were not the only ones that had been invited. The Reverend Johnson, Loren and his sister-in-law Dorothy, Dr. Mike, and Colleen and Brian were there.

Not knowing half the people there, Larkin became shy and withdrawn, staying close to Jake's side and clinging to his arm. This alarmed Jake because Larkin had been very independent ever since coming home.

"Why are ya' being so shy?" He asked.

"I'm not being shy," she insisted. "I…, just don't know anyone."

Colleen brought her out of her shell though.

"Wow, you got really pretty earbobs," she said, sitting down next to Larkin. "Ma won't let me pierce my ears yet. Does it hurt?"

Larkin subconsciously played with the silver stars in her ears. They had been a graduation gift from her Papa.

"Not much," she replied. "How old are you?"

"Thirteen."

"Oh well, Papa didn't let me pierce my ears until I was fourteen," Lark told her.

"Very good idea," Dr. Mike commented, overhearing their conversation.

Jake began to relax as Lark became more sure of herself, even moving away from his side for a few minutes at a time.

"Well, Lark, what are ya' planning to do now?" Olive asked.

"I've been offered a teaching position at McLauren. I'm considering taking it. I taught a literature class last semester and really enjoyed teaching."

"You can teach?" Olive asked.

"I have," she answered. "Whether I was any good at it or not, I don't know."

"I bet you was a real good," Brian spoke up.

She smiled, gratefully.

"Well, if it's teaching you want to do, you can do that right here," Olive declared. "We've been needing another teacher. Someone to help the Reverend out."

"I don't know, Mrs. Olive," she replied, honestly. "I don't think I'm the teacher you need. I can teach kids like me, but I couldn't possibly teach the kids here how to even read or write." Then she smiled. "Unless you want them to read Braille."

"You could teach the older ones," Olive insisted. "The ones who already know how to read and write, and that would free up the Reverend to teach the younger kids."

Jake could see that Larkin wanted to accept the offer, but she was struggling with herself over whether she could actually do it. She was also squirming at being the center of attention.

"She ain't hardly been home a week, Olive," Jake said, hoping to take the pressure of Lark to answer. "Give 'er at least two weeks 'fore you go planning her a career."

"Well, I ain't saying she's got to answer tonight," she replied. "It's just something for her to think about. Just think about it. The Reverend could use the help, couldn't you, Timothy?"

"Yes," he agreed.

Lark nodded, thankful that Jake had gotten the attention off of her.

But think about it, she did, all through supper.

Just before she left, Colleen told her, "I hope you'll consider taking Ms. Olive's offer. It'd be fun to have you for a teacher."

"I'll think about it," she promised.

Chapter Ten

Something to Think About

When she got home, she did think about. That is, she thought about it, after scolding herself for being 'overly-disappointed' that Matthew had gone off hunting with Sully and wouldn't be back until late in the night.

The next morning, she was up and dressed for church long before Jake was even awake. He found her sitting in the kitchen, playing with an empty teacup. The dark circles under her eyes told of a night of little sleep.

"Rough night?" He asked, causing her to jump. "Sorry," he placed a calming hand on her shoulder. "Didn't mean to scare you."

"I'm alright, I didn't hear you come in. Guess I was thinking to hard."

"Figure anything out?"

"No," she admitted. "I would really love to teach again, and I could actually do most of the teaching part."

"But," he prompted.

"But, I couldn't grade papers or anything. The paperwork part would be impossible."

"Why don't ya' talk to the Reverend and Olive after church. Maybe ya'll can work something out," he suggested.

That was just what she did, even though it meant turning down an offer from Matthew to walk her home.

After a long discussion, it was decided that she would teach the seventh grade and up, while the Reverend handled the younger grades. Since she, with the use of a typewriter, could make her own test, she needed only give him the answers and the Reverend said he would be happy to grade them. Since he already did, it didn't cause him anymore work.

Larkin was on top of the world when the town council approved their plan. She thought that everyone was just humoring her, but she didn't care. Starting the next morning she would be the upper classes teacher, teaching literature, language, math, science, and basic Latin. The things she had learned at McLauren.

Chapter Eleven

Her First Day

The next morning, she was up at dawn again. This time, she was excited and a little nervous. She put on her most 'grown-up' dress, pulled her hair up in a bun, and after careful consideration, she found her star-shaped earbobs and slipped them into her ears. She went in the kitchen, but found she was too nervous to eat.

"I've never taught this many subjects before, Papa. What if I'm no good at it? What if the students won't listen to me? What if I forget my lessons?" She vented her fears.

"Relax, Larkin, you'll do fine," he reassured her. "Besides, the Reverend will be there, too."

"Yeah, I'll be okay," she said, not at all convinced. "It's time for me to go, I guess." She started out the door, then came back. "Forgot my books," she said, sheepishly. "And my cane."

"Do ya' need me to walk you?" He asked, trying not to laugh.

"Uh, no, I can do it myself. I walked there and back twelve times yesterday evening. I counted the steps. I know how to get there," she said, quickly. That was all she needed.

She was surprised to find Matthew and Brian waiting for her at the bottom of the steps.

"We came to walk ya to school," Brian said.

Matthew took her books and reached for her hand, but Brian beat him to the quick, grabbing her hand and pulling her down the steps.

"Ma says you're going to be our new teacher," he said. "Why ya' got so many books? We already have lots of books at school."

"Yes, but my books are special," she replied. "They are made just for me, so I can read them with my fingers instead of my eyes."

"How do you do that?"

"I'll show you one day," she answered.

"Really? Thanks!!" He saw one of his friends and ran off to join them in the schoolyard.

"Ya' look real pretty," Matthew said, shyly.

"Thank you," she smiled. He took her hand and walked her the rest of the way to the school.

"Here ya' are Miss Slicker," he teased. "Good luck." He kissed her hand then handed her books to her.

"Thanks, Matthew." She turned and went inside. She knew she must be blushing clear up to her ears.

She got through the introductions and explanation of what she would be doing just fine, but when it came time for her to work with her students, she ran into trouble.

Trouble was six feet tall, seventeen year old Bobby Ray Simpson. Bobby Ray being a farm kid, could only go to school when he wasn't need at home, the result being that he was being the other kids his own age, who had finished school the summer before.

He also didn't like the fact that Larkin, a younger girl, was going to be his new teacher.

Matthew knew this, having heard him talking after church the day before and had stuck around to see if he was going to cause trouble.

"What's a blind dummy going to teach me?" he said. The Reverend, busy with the younger students spelling list, didn't hear him, but Matthew, standing outside, did.

He quietly slipped into the back of the room and leaned against the wall, watching Bobby Ray closely. He had knew Bobby was going to pull some crap.

"Okay," Larkin said, trying to ignore Bobby Ray, said. "Since, I don't know you all and you all don't know me, we are going to take a few minutes to get acquainted."

"I'd like to get a'quinted with you," he snickered, "but not in here."

Larkin pressed on, determined to ignore him.

"I'll tell you who I am and a little bit about me, then you can do the same. Just make sure you tell me your full name and who your parents are. I'll start. My name is Larkin Anne Slicker and my father is Jake Slicker..,"

"And he's a drunk," Bobby Ray interrupted.

This time it took all she had not to give in to temptation and tell him off. "AND we live here in town. I went to McLauren Academy for the Blind in Denver. That is where I learned how to be a teacher. I am really looking forward to teaching all of you and I hope we can make this arrangement work."

She went around the room, letting the students tell about themselves, making mental notes of things she thought were important, like that Lewis Bing lived with his Uncle Horace, and that Becky Binder was Missy Houser's half-sister.

Finally, it was Bobby Ray's turn. Larkin was dreading it, since Bobby had a snide remark for something everyone had said, from Jake being a drunk to Colleen needing to realize that women weren't supposed to go to college.

"I'm Bobby Ray Simpson, and my Pa's Jefferson Ray Simpson, and he ain't no drunk neither. My Ma's Mary Simpson, and she knows where she belongs. We live on a farm, and we do real men's work, not cutting hair or taking telegrams, and we all got better since than to get mixed up with a whore."

At this, Larkin had heard as much as she was going to from him. Picking on her was one thing, she expected at least one of the students to have to try and push her limits, but needling Colleen and Lewis was totally uncalled for.

"Okay, that's it," she declared. "Come here, Mr. Simpson, you are going to stand in the corner until you can keep your snide comments to yourself."

She stood up and moved towards the sound of his voice, but he met her halfway, moving so close to her that they were practically touching. Bobby Ray towering over his new teacher.

He was so close that he flooded her senses, she could hear him breathing, and could easily smell that he hadn't bathed in a few days. She knew he was easily three or four inches taller than her and stronger than her, and that he was trying to scare her into backing down, but she didn't move an inch.

"I ain't standing in no corner," he stated. "I'm a man and you are going to treat me like one."

"Bobby Ray," Reverend Johnson had finally looked up to see what was happening. "Back off.."

"Good," she replied, without backing away. "Start acting like a man, then. Go stand in the corner and take your punishment like a man."

"Why don't you come with me?" He caught her arm and start to jerk her back as he moved towards the corner.

Before she or Timothy could react, Matthew caught Bobby's eye. Without leaving his place, leaning against the back wall, he slowly shook his head and mouthed the word, "No."

Having tangled with Matthew several times before without winning, Bobby quickly let go of Larkin. "Aw, I's just funning with her."

"Bobby Ray, go home," Reverend Johnson, demanded. "I'll have to speak to your parents before you can come back."

Matthew slipped out as quietly as he had slipped in as Bobby slammed his things about getting ready to leave.

As she was closing the door behind Bobby she smelt a familiar smell.

"Matthew!" She thought. "How dare he interfere?!"

Chapter Twelve

A Grown-up Kiss

The rest of the day went quite successfully and fortunately uneventfully.

"Hey," Matthew smiled as she stepped out to go home.

"Hello," she replied, icily. She moved around him and kept on walking quickly.

"Hey, slow down," he laughed, catching up with her.

"I don't need you to walk me home. I'm quite capable of handling things myself."

"I didn't say ya' weren't," he replied, confused.

She stopped short and turned around to face him. "Oh, really?! Then why did you interfere with Bobby Ray today? I could have handled the problem on my own without you or the Reverend."

"You weren't handling it."

"You never gave me the chance! You jumped in at the first sign of trouble. Why? Do you really have that little faith in me?"

"Did it ever occur to you that I did it because I care about you?!"

"What?" She asked, all the fight gone out of her. He put his hand on her cheek.

"I like you," he replied. "I care about you a lot. I've been thinking about you ever since you got home." He was blushing deep red. "Listen, Lark, you were gone along time. Bobby's not just a kid trying to get on the teacher's nerves. He's big and he's mean. He'd have hurt you just out of spite. I didn't mean to interfere. I just didn't want him to hurt you. Please don't be mad."

"Oh, Matthew, I'm not really mad. It's just that now, it'll be even harder to get him to listen to me as his teacher. Though, it was very sweet for you to be concerned about me. Thank you."

She felt a blush rising in her cheeks again, and ducked her head to hide it.

Matthew caught her chin and tilted her face back up, and gave her, her first real 'grown-up' kiss, right there one the bridge between the town and the church.

Her heart was beating so hard, Larkin was sure everyone could hear it. The hands around her face were rough and calloused, but his lips were soft and gentle. She put her hand over his, feeling the back of his hand, running her hand down to his wrist and held it. Her breathe caught in her throat.

"Matthew's got a girlfriend," Brian ran by them singing.

"I gotta teach that kid when to be quiet," Matthew said, as Larkin pulled away laughing.

Then she let him walk her home. He kissed her hand once again before she disappeared into the barbershop.

"Hey Papa," she said, stopping only long enough to kiss him on the cheek., she headed off to change her clothes. When she came back out, the shop was empty, except for Hank and Loren who were just running their mouths. She rolled her eyes. They gossiped worst than any women she'd ever met.

She walked over to where Jake was sitting, and like a little girl, climbed into his lap and laid her head against his shoulder. She didn't care if people thought she was too old to do this. It was something she had missed while she had been at school and she wasn't going to miss an opportunity for comfort or affection.

"Tired?" He asked.

She nodded.

"Did you have a hard day?"

"Not really," she answered. She told the three men about her day, leaving out the parts where Bobby grabbed her and Matthew kissed her. She knew that if Jake thought she was in danger, even for a minute, he wouldn't let her continue to teach, and the other? Well, she just didn't think they needed to know about that yet.

Chapter Thirteen

Teaching

It had been two months since Lark had moved back home and at least a month since she had made any serious comments about returning to Denver.

Matthew had been courting her ever since that day on the bridge. Even though he worked on Ms. Olive's ranch, he found reasons to be in town at either eight or three, or both everyday.

Her teaching job was working out well, too, and she was really enjoying it.

After a scare with Brian falling out of a tree, and being severely injured, and nearly blinded, they had built the schoolhouse.

Lark was walking around the classroom, helping whatever student needed it, while Reverend Johnson graded papers at their desk.

"Miss Larkin," Brian stopped her. "What does P-A-C-I-F-I-C spell?"

"Pacific," she smiled at him. She walked to the back of the room.

"Don't even think about it," she said to Lewis Bing. "Give me the ink." She held out her hand. "Colleen, I would keep my hair out of their reach if I was you, they were about to put ink in it."

Lewis shrugged at his seatmate, as Colleen pulled her hair over her shoulder and out of their reach. They had quit trying to figure out how Larkin knew when they were up to something, she just always did.

She deposited the inkwell on the teacher's desk. School would be out in a little over a month, and the students were getting restless.

"Does everyone have their assignments?"

They answered yes.

"Good. Be sure to work on them over the weekend. You may go. See you on Monday."

She walked outside to talk to Matthew, who she knew would be waiting.

"Hey, Sweetheart," he said, hugging her.

"Stop it!" She pushed his arms away. "You're going to give me a bad reputation. All these kids are going to go home and tell their folks, 'I saw Miss Slicker kissing Matthew Cooper at school.'"

"I'm sorry," he laughed.

"Ya' are not," she replied, hitting his arm, playfully.

"Yes, I am," he said, more sincerely. "Ya' want me to walk ya' home?"

She shook her head. "No, I have to get my things together and I want to talk to the Reverend. He was grading some of my students tests and I wanted to know how they did. I might be awhile."

"I'll come back."

"That's okay, you really don't have too. I can get to my house alone. Go ahead and take Colleen and Brian home."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I'll be fine, but thank you anyway. She gave him a quick hug. "Bye, Sweetheart. You'll be around tomorrow?"

"Yeah, bye, Lark." He kissed her cheek, then left.

She went back inside and started to gather her own books together.

"Becky made a ninety-four on her geometry test," Reverend Johnson said. "Looks like your tutoring her is helping."

"Yeah, she's a bright kid, she just second guesses herself too much." They discussed a few more students then left.

Chapter Fourteen

The Stage Came In

She stopped at Loren's store on the way home.

"Hey, Mr. Bray. Did my books arrive?"

"They came, but I don't think they're right," he said. "These books got regular writing in them."

"I know, they're not for me, they're for my students." She paid for them, then gathered up her packages and headed home.

"Help!" She said, when she walked in the door. She was trying to balance many books and completely not using her cane too.

Jake jumped up and grabbed most of them.

"Why didn't you wait for help?" He scolded. "What if ya' fell down?"

"I'd have bruised my pride," she replied. She shifted the rest of her books into one pile and set them on the bench.

"The stage must have come in, You got them books ya' been waiting on," he commented.

"Yeah, it's kind of hard to assign reading work and reports when I'm lucky to one copy of a book and I need six."

"How are you going to read it?"

"I've already read David Copperfield, and I have a Braille copy of it too. Besides I'm going to have them read aloud and discuss it." She sat down in the barber's chair. Putting her feet on the counter in front of her and kicked, making the chair spin around.

"Stop that," Jake said. "Yer not three years old. Go change clothes if you intend to. We are having dinner with Dorothy."

At the mention of her papa's 'sweetheart', she made a face. Him seeing someone wasn't something she was used too, and she was very jealous at times.

"Why, pray tell, do I have to go to dinner with that woman?"

"Because I said so," he answered. "You're going to nice to her tonight, too."

"I am?"

"If ya' want to see Matthew tomorrow, ya are," he warned.

"Fine," she huffed. Seeing she wasn't going to win this round, she got up, stomped into the house and slammed the door.


	5. Chapters Fifteen Through Nineteen

Chapter Fifteen

Richard

Richard McLauren was one of the few instructors at McLauren Academy with perfect vision, but he was Mrs. McLauren's grandson, so no one was surprised when he came to work there.

He first noticed Larkin when she was twelve. With her dark hair, and icy blue eyes, she was a beautiful child. Despite the fact that he was seven years older than her, it was overlooked that he paid special attention to her. Mrs. McLauren overlooked most anything Richard done.

He bought her books, trinkets and baubles. He sat beside her at mealtimes, and escorted her to and from classes.

Then when she turned fifteen, he began to invite her to attend concerts and lectures away from school with him. Since she was a student, and he an instructor, he made sure to keep everything very proper and well chaperoned, only occasionally kissing her hand or stealing a kiss on the cheek.

Larkin was probably the only one who didn't think Richard wanted more than just her friendship.

He fancied himself 'in love' with Larkin, but truth be told, the only person Richard had ever or would ever love was himself.

When Larkin had told him she was returning to Colorado Springs with her Papa upon her graduation, she had thought he would be happy for her. Everyone had known she had wanted to return home for awhile. Instead, he had tried his best to convince her to stay, telling her she would just be a burden to Jake. Then the morning she had left, he had shown up and wished her goodbye like a true friend. Of course, this was just because he thought she would be back within the month, not that Larkin knew that was why.

Two month had gone by with no word from her, at least not to him. He knew his grandmother, Molly Black, and even Michael Perkins, had gotten letters from her. He had decided to come and visit her, to persuade her to come back with him.

He, too, had arrived on the afternoon stage.

Chapter Sixteen

A Room For Rent

"Where can I find a room to rent, sir?" he asked Horace.

"Well, Hank, over at the saloon, he rents out rooms, sometimes," Horace answered.

"Is there anywhere else?" He answered, staying at a saloon was not his usual style.

Horace thought for a minute, then shook his head. "No, sir, not that I know of."

"The saloon it is then. Can you point the way?"

"It's just down the road a piece," Horace answered. "Ya' can't miss it."

"Thank you." He tipped his hat and left.

He did, indeed, find Hank's.

"Excuse me," he said, walking up to the bar. "Are you Hank?"

"Who wants to know?" Hank replied.

Richard took in the sight of this barkeep with his waist length hair and unshaven face with contempt. He hoped it wouldn't take long to convince Larkin to return to Denver.

"I am Richard McLauren from Denver. I was told you have rooms for rent."

"Yeah?" Hank smiled at the thought of some business. "Then I'm Hank. How long will ya' be needin' a room?"

"I am not sure how long I'll be in town just yet."

"Well, a room'll cost you a quarter a day."

"Fine." He laid a silver dollar on the counter.

"MYRA!" Hank yelled.

She came over to him. "Yeah?"

"Take Mr. McLauren, here, and put him in a room, and dawdle. Ya' got other things to do."

"Yes, Hank," she sighed. "Follow me, sir."

As he followed her, he noticed that, for a barmaid, she was quite attractive, if somewhat plain.

"Will ya' be needing anything else?" She asked, opening the door to a sparsely furnished room.

"No, that will be all, thank you."

"You're welcome. If ya' need anything, ya' just let one of the girls know, and they'll fetch it for ya'."

He sat down on the bed after she had gone. He couldn't believe he was actually staying in such a place, but it couldn't be helped.

Chapter Seventeen

An Unexpected Visitor

After he had availed himself of a day's worth of Colorado dust, he decided he was properly cleaned and groomed. He went to talk to Hank.

"Where might the barbershop be?"

"It might be that building over there with a barber's pole on it," Hank answered sarcastically. He pointed at it. "If it's a shave you're wanting, though, one of my girls could oblige ya'."

"No, thanks. I am looking for Larkin Slicker. She told me once that her father was the barber here. I thought that would be the best place to start looking."

"He is. What 're ya' wanting with Larkin?"

"Let's just say, I'm an old friend."

Hank nodded, as he watched Richard walk out. For some reason he hadn't quite placed, he didn't trust the city-boy.

"Excuse me," he said, standing in Jake's doorway.

"I'm closed," Jake said without turning around.

"I realize that," Richard began. "But,…"

"Papa," Larkin interrupted. She strode into the room with a very cross look on her face.

"Why do I have to go to dinner with you and Mrs. Dorothy?" She knew she was whining, but she didn't care. Maybe if she got on his nerves, she wouldn't have to go.

"For the last time, Larkin, because I said so!" Jake snapped, his patience worn thin on the subject. "Now, I don't want to hear no more about it. You. Are. Going!"

She opened her mouth to reply, but was interrupted.

"Larkin? Is that you?" Richard asked.

She turned towards the door, lifting her head and smiling. "Richard? Richard, what are you doing here? Come in."

She went over to him, as if to hug him, but just shook his hand.

Richard was unruffled. "To see you, you silly goose." He touched the tip of her nose. Something she absolutely hated. Then he kissed her hand. "We've missed you at the school."

She took a step back. "Richard, I'd like you to meet my father, Jake Slicker. Papa, this is Richard McLauren. He teaches at the academy. He's a friend of mine."

"Hello, Mr. Slicker," Richard said, holding out his hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. Larkin spoke of you all the time."

"Likewise." Jake shook his hand.

"Larkin, my dear, I was wondering if you would accompany me to dinner?" he asked.

"Well," she chose her words carefully. She knew Richard had a short temper when things didn't go his way. "I would love to, but I am having dinner with Papa and Mrs. Jennings. Perhaps, he could join us, Papa?" That way she wouldn't be alone with Richard and she wouldn't have to listen to Jake and Dorothy talk all night.

"If ya' want him to," he shrugged. "I don't think Dorothy'll mind."

Chapter Eighteen

Another Eventful Dinner

"So, you are from Denver, Mr. McLauren?" Dorothy asked after they were seated at Grace's.

"Yes, ma'am, and please, call me Richard. I am a teacher at the McLauren Academy. I must say, we are all anxious to have Larkin back. She is a wonderful teacher. One of the best I've ever seen in fact," he replied.

"Oh, well, we know she is a great teacher, since she has been gracious enough to take a position in our school," Dorothy answered.

Larkin smiled at their praise.

"Of course, she will be a wonderful teacher, no matter where she is, but surely, you must see what a waste of her skills it is to keep her here when she is more qualified to teach the blind. If she returns to Denver, she will have a position at one of the top institutes for the blind in the country."

"Would you two _please_ quit talking about me as if I'm not here," Larkin snapped, irritably. "It makes me feel like a bug under a microscope."

"So sorry, my dear," Richard laughed. He kissed her hand. "Did you know that Molly and Michael stayed on as teachers?"

"Yes. They've both written to me several times."

"Yes, yes, I suppose they have. Some people hear from you regularly," he replied.

Even though his tone was light enough, Dorothy noticed he was quite teasing. She looked at Jake to see if he had noticed as well, but it seemed he hadn't. She noticed, also that he had been awfully quite the whole evening. She wondered what he thought about this young man who claimed to be Larkin's friend, but whom she didn't seem completely at ease with.

Chapter Nineteen

Dorothy's Warning and Larkin's Reaction

When Jake walked her home, Dorothy told him, "You know I'd never tell you how to raise Larkin, but Jake, I'd watch Richard carefully if I was you."

"Why? He seems nice enough."

"Well," she explained. "I'm probably wrong. I hope I am but, it seems to me that he's just a little too nice, like it was all for our benefit. Almost like Marcus was nice in front of my folks."

He considered this, glancing back to where Richard and Lark were sitting on his porch, deep in conversation.

"I'll keep that in mind." He kissed her goodnight.

"It's getting late, Lark," he said, as he stepped up on his porch. "You need to come in."

"Yes, Papa," she replied, standing to follow him. She turned to Richard. "Goodnight."

"Will I see you tomorrow?" He said, quickly moving to stand beside her.

She shrugged, "If you want to. I'm usually around somewhere."

He started to kiss her, but she turned and quickly went inside, counting her steps so she wouldn't fall.

"Goodnight, Sweetheart," he said to her retreating figure.

"How old is that boy?" Jake asked her as soon as she was inside.

She sighed she knew he was going to ask her a bunch of questions sooner or later. Personally, she was hoping for the later.

"Tell your girlfriend that I'm blind, not deaf, so don't talk about me as if I'm not there," she shot back, hoping to change the subject.

It didn't work.

"We're not talking about Dorothy, Larkin. Answer me."

"Twenty-three. Richard is twenty-three."

"Twenty-three years old?" Jake repeated.

"I think so. He maybe twenty-four by now."

"Did you know he was going to come here?"

"No."

"So, he just shows up, out of the blue and you don't think that's strange?"

"No, sir," she answered. "No for Richard. He's my friend."

"Does he know that's all he is?"

"Yes! God's Nightgown! I am not about to stand here and discuss this with you! It's my business!" She stomped off to her room and slammed the door.

"Just be careful," he sighed. "I don't want you getting hurt. That's all."


End file.
